Hardened or ruggedized fiber optic connector assemblies are known in the telecommunications industry. Such connectors are typically used in locations where an optical fiber connection is desired but which cannot be adequately protected or sealed from environmental exposure. It may be desirable to provide a fairly stable and environmentally sealed surrounding for optical fiber connections to reduce the chance of signal degradation or loss. Sometimes, such hardened connectors may be installed in the field in advance of their being connected to a customer drop or service cable. For these installations, a dust plug may be used to protect the unconnected end of the hardened connector until a customer drop cable is attached. It is desirable that such a dust plug also provide a stable and environmentally sealed surrounding for the unconnected end of the hardened connector.
Corning Cable Systems LLC sells a hardened fiber optic connector known as the OptiTap connector. While the OptiTap connector does provide a stable and environmentally sealed enclosure for optical fiber connections, the known prior art dust plug used with the OptiTap connector may be unable to securely seal an unconnected end of the connector. An improved dust plug which may provide a better level of protection to the unconnected end of a hardened connector is desirable.